Wheeled toy

ABSTRACT

A toy has a single hollow wheel with a rim and opposite sides, a shaft carried by the wheel, the wheel and shaft being journaled for relative rotation of the wheel and shaft, and the shaft having at least one end projecting at least a substantial distance beyond a side. A counter-weight is carried by and fixed against rotation to the shaft, and is wholly enclosed within the wheel. A figure is fixedly mounted on one projecting end of the shaft, on one side of the wheel and the counter-weight and figure are so positioned as to permit rotation of the wheel with respect to them. The relative weights of the figure and counter-weight are such as to keep the figure above the lowermost reach of the rim of the wheel when the wheel is on a horizontal surface.

United States Patent [191 Campbell, Jr.

[ 1 Apr. 30, 1974 WHEELED TOY [75] Inventor: Ernest C. Campbell, Jr., Hermann,

[73] Assignee: Steven Manufacturing Company, Hermann, Mo.

22 Filed: Jan. 8, 1973 211 App]. No.: 322,014

[52] US. Cl......' 46/100, 46/106 [51] Int. Cl. A63h 11/10 [58] Field of Search 46/100, 101, 106

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,349,202 8/1920 Holbrook 46/100 2,802,300 8/1957 Rogers 46/100 Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerRobert F. Cutting Attorney, Agent, or FirmPolster & Polster ABSTRACT A toy has a single hollow wheel with a rim and opposite sides, a shaft carried by the wheel, the wheel and shaft being journaled for relative rotation of the wheel and shaft, and the shaft having at least one end pro jecting at least a substantial distance beyond a side. A counter-weight is carried by and fixed against rotation to the shaft, and is wholly enclosed within the wheel. A figure is fixedly mounted on one projecting end of the shaft, on one side of the wheel and the counterweight and figure are so positioned as to permit rotation of the wheel with respect to them. The relative weights of the figure and counter-weight are such as to keep the figure above the lowermost reach of the rim of the wheel when the wheel is on a horizontal surface.

3 Claims j Drawing Figures A'TENTE APR 30 1974 SHEET 2 BF 2 F'IG. z

WHEELED TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Counter-balanced wheeled toys are old in the art. However, the ones with which applicant is familiar are either designed for suspension on a line, or are made with two wheels, with a counter-weight exposed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel toy with a single wheel with a counter-weight wholly concealed within it.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, generally stated, a toy is provided which is made up of a single hollow wheel having a rim and spaced opposite sides; a shaft carried by the wheel and journaled in the sides for relative rotation of the wheel and shaft. At least one end of the shaft projects a substantial distance outwardly beyond a side. A counter-weight, carried by and fixed against rotation with respect to the shaft, is mounted on the shaft between the sides wholly within the wheel. A figure, fixedly mounted on one projecting end of the shaft on one side of the wheel, is so mounted and is of such a weight that the counter-weight maintains the figure in a position above the lowermost reach of the rim of the wheel, so that when the wheel is on a level surface, it can be rolled along, the figure being supported free of the surface by the weight. The center of gravity of the toy lies within the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of toy-of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of the toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the toy of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of another embodiment of toy of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a view in rear elevation of the toy of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6, but with one arm of the toy figure displaced for clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 4 through 7, reference numeral 1 indicates a wheel. The wheel 1 is made up of a wide rim 2, a flat side 3 which, in the illustrative embodiment shown, is made integral with the rim 2, and an opposite side 4, spaced laterally from the side 3, to define, wth the rim 2, a cavity 5. In this illustrative embodiment, the rim 2 is provided with an annular rabbet 6 to receive a circumferential corner edge of the side 4. Sides 3 and 4 are provided with central bosses 7 with aligned holes in them, in which a shaft 10 is journaled for relative rotation of the shaft and wheel.

The shaft 10 has, in this embodiment, two projecting ends, 11 and 12, which extend outwardly substantially beyond the outer surface of the sides 3 and 4 respectively. Within the confines of the cavity 5, and mounted on the shaft fixedly against rotation with respect to the shaft, is a counter-weight 15. The counter weight 15 is contoured to permit the greatest volume of the weight to occupy the lower part of the cavity 5 without interfering with the rotation of the wheel 1.

The construction of the wheel in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 can be identical with the wheel shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, which has been described.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, figure 20, with arms 21 and 22, is carried by the shaft 10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a hand 23 on the arm 21 is secured to the projecting end 11 of the shaft 10. The hand 23 can be made integral with the shaft, or can be secured to the shaft, but in any case it is fixed against rotation relative to the shaft 10. The arm 22 has, at its extremity, a

hand 24. The hand 24 is proportioned to embrace the end 12 of the shaft 10. It can either be proportioned to slip loosely on the end 12 or to fit tightly on the end 12, but it must be adapted to be mounted on the end after the wheel is assembled, as indicated in FIG. 7.

As is indicated in FIG. 5, the figure 20 is made in two parts, glued or otherwise secured as is common practice in the toy art.

In assembling the toy shown in FIGS. 4 through 7, half of the figure 20 with the arm 21 is secured to the end 11. The rim 2 and integral side 3 of the wheel are slipped onto the shaft, the weight 15 is fixed to the shaft, the side 4 is pushed into the rabbet and glued or otherwise fixed to the rim. The other half of the figure 20 is then assembled, with the hand 24 on the end 12, and the figure glued or otherwise secured, and the toy is complete.

It can be seen that innumerable other ways are possible for assembling the toy. The two sides can be made separate from the rim, or the two sides can be made in tegral with half of the rim and the two halves put together. The two arms can be made to fit identically and be put on after the wheel is assembled. These, are merely illustrative.

In the forming of the embodiment of the device shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, a figure'30 is also shown as being made in two parts, although as far as the assembly of the figure and wheel is concerned, this is not necessary. The figure 30 has a foot 31 which is secured to one end of the shaft 10. The figure 30 is oriented with respect to the wheel so as to ensure that the center of the gravity of the device lies within the wheel, as indicated particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3. While the end 12 of the shaft 10 is shown as projecting from the side 4 of the wheel, in this embodiment, it is unnecessary except for appearance sake for the end to project a substantial distance beyond the outside face of the side 4.

In both embodiments it is desirable that the sides 3 and 4 and the rim 2be opaque so as to obscure the weight 15. The weight 15 is mounted on the shaft, is so shaped and is of such mass as to counter-balance the figure and ensure that the center of gravity of the toy is within the wheel. The figure is preferably substantially vertical, but, if desired, it can be made to assume any desired angle with respect to the horizontal, as long as the figure does not extend below the lowermost reach of the rim of the wheel. In that latter situation, the figure would drag on a level surface on which the toy was placed.

Numerous variations in the construction of the toy of this invention, within the scope of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy comprising a single hollow wheel having a wide rim, flat in transverse section, and opposite, flat sides; a shaft carried by said wheel and journaled in said sides for relative rotation of said wheel and shaft, said shaft having at least one end projecting outwardly a substantial distance beyond a side; a counter-weight carried by and fixed against rotation to said shaft, said counter-weight being mounted on said shaft between said sides wholly within said wheel, and a figure secured to only one projecting end of said shaft, said weight and said figure being sufficiently free of the wheel to permit rotation of said wheel with respect to said weight and said figure, said counter-weight being such as to maintain the said figure in a position above the lowermost reach of the rim of said wheel when said wheel is on a horizontal surface, and to locate the center of gravity of the toy within said wheel.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein both sides of said wheel are opaque.

3. The toy of claim l wherein the shaft has ends projecting from and beyond both sides of the wheel, the figure is provided with members embracing said shaft, one of which members being fixedly secured to one projecting end of said shaft and the other of said members being contiguous the other projecting end of said shaft.

* s r :r 

1. A toy comprising a single hollow wheel having a wide rim, flat in transverse section, and opposite, flat sides; a shaft carried by said wheel And journaled in said sides for relative rotation of said wheel and shaft, said shaft having at least one end projecting outwardly a substantial distance beyond a side; a counter-weight carried by and fixed against rotation to said shaft, said counter-weight being mounted on said shaft between said sides wholly within said wheel, and a figure secured to only one projecting end of said shaft, said weight and said figure being sufficiently free of the wheel to permit rotation of said wheel with respect to said weight and said figure, said counterweight being such as to maintain the said figure in a position above the lowermost reach of the rim of said wheel when said wheel is on a horizontal surface, and to locate the center of gravity of the toy within said wheel.
 2. The toy of claim 1 wherein both sides of said wheel are opaque.
 3. The toy of claim 1 wherein the shaft has ends projecting from and beyond both sides of the wheel, the figure is provided with members embracing said shaft, one of which members being fixedly secured to one projecting end of said shaft and the other of said members being contiguous the other projecting end of said shaft. 